We All Have Our Demons
by AngelBaby214
Summary: AU Prompt: Killian is a wealthy man with a large estate, and Emma finds a job at his mansion as his "personal assistant." WARNING: Will get dark later. Don't like, don't read. I own nothing related to Once, though I wish I did!
1. Prologue

We All Have Our Demons

Prologue

_We all have our demons, some people more than others. Some people decide to let them show and characterize them, becoming an essential feature of their appearance. Others decide to let them soak inside their souls like a parasite, eating away at them slowly from inside to outside. And then there are some that we can't control. Those carnal desires full of lust and sin, the temptation to torture and inflict pain, and even the demons that have no face or name grow and mold into what a person knows as their character. These are the hardest to pinpoint since they have no underlying cause but they shape the way a person thinks, acts, and feels. Which is why they are both the angels and devils of invisible beings that surround us. They are a gift and a curse, a plight and a remedy, and a beginning and an end . . . _


	2. One: Job Hunting

We All Have Our Demons

AU Prompt: Killian is a wealthy man with a large estate, and Emma finds a job at his mansion as his "personal assistant."

**WARNING: Will get very dark later. Don't like, don't read.**

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Chapter One: Job Hunting (Emma's POV)

My feet hurt like hell as I furiously stormed though town, angry that no one was hiring. Of course, I didn't have money to afford a car to drive myself, so I relied on the use of public transportation when available and my two aching limbs that I call my legs. I was sick of my job at the local diner called "Granny's;" my boss (not "Granny;" that's just propaganda) was a bitch, everyone gave me weird looks, and I couldn't stand working with ignorant people. I'm no Albert Einstein, but I definitely know my right from my left, unlike some folks I've come in contact with. They just don't understand how much they piss me off sometimes.

My only friend there was a girl my age named Ruby. She was twenty-two, dark hair with red streaks, tall, skinny, and shouldn't have a job at a crappy town diner. Ruby was just . . . the epitome of perfection, completely opposite of me. I couldn't wear a pair of heels to save my life, let alone have an occasion where I would need them. Anyway, she was the one who told me to get out of this dump since I'm "better than this. I deserve more than this." Doubtful.

You could say I was a criminal, but that's a bit of a hyperbole for my taste. Yeah, I was in jail for a few months because I was pinned for a crime my boyfriend- sorry, _**ex**_-boyfriend committed. He stole a few cases of watches back in Arizona and left me to pick up the mess he made of getting them back and returning them. He left me for dead in Portland in the middle of an alleyway, and that was the last I ever saw or heard from him again. A Heaven-sent miracle, if you ask me.

Because of the hell I got after prison, moving to Boston seemed like a good idea, being on the complete opposite side of the country and all. I came to find out life in a big city was really shitty sometimes. When you're the dirt poor and meek little mouse in a city full of wealthy and large-living cats, you're bound to get eaten. And so I was . . . by becoming a slave to society. I didn't get into any more trouble with the law after blemishing my record back in Portland and tried to lay on the low side of life since climbing up social hierarchy was never written in my destiny to begin with.

As I continued down Sapphire Avenue and back to my apartment (or somewhat of one), I noticed a girl about my age crying as she left a very large and exquisite looking mansion. I figured I could stop to rest for a moment and see what happened to this poor girl. She looked absolutely worse for wear. Scratches and bruises marred her body, mascara streamed thick with her tears down her olive-colored cheeks, and I couldn't help but notice a gash on her shoulder where the sleeve of her blouse was ripped. The stilettos she wore were in her hands and her feet looked a bit cut up as well. She ran up to me like a lost puppy, her brown eyes glistening with tears and fresh ones blooming and running down her face.

"I'm sorry! Can you pl-please help me?" The girl was obviously frightened, so I pulled her into a hug and wrapped my red leather jacket around her shoulders. She accepted the gift instantly.

"Yes. What happened to you? You're obviously hurt, and I'll take you to get help, okay?" The girl nodded. "What's your name?" The girl sniffled and wiped a tear from her cheek.

"My name's Milah. I don't have time to explain what happened. He's after me." Milah's sentences slurred together in an effort to explain as lucidly as she could before something bad happened.

"Milah, who's after you," I asked as I rubbed her shoulders and tried to clean her face up a bit. Just then, the door to the mansion swung open and out stormed a man in a lunatic rage.

"MILAH?! Don't hide from me, love. I will find you. I know you're out here!" He ran all over the front yard looking for Milah, but he couldn't see her hiding behind a bush.

"I'm Emma, by the way," I whispered, making sure that angry man wasn't anywhere near us. "Listen, Milah. We have to run if we want to get out of here alive, okay?" Milah nodded and grabbed my hand and together we raced down the street in the direction of my apartment. Milah didn't even take a glance back at the mansion; she just ran.

Obviously, the man had spotted us running, so he chased after us, hot on our heels, and we weren't even halfway to the apartment. He shouted her name over and over as my legs willed me to move faster; I had to for Milah's sake and my own, worst case scenario. _Keep running, Emma. You can do it. Just a little bit farther,_ I thought as my calves began to burn from the high intensity of running a long distance. I collapsed all of a sudden and landed on the harsh pavement with a thud. I couldn't move anymore even as Milah tried to pull me up. She couldn't do much else since the crazy man got hold of her as I tried to push myself up. I felt so guilty for letting her back into the clutches of this evil man; watching her try to escape as he assaulted her made my heart wrench and my stomach tie itself in knots. The man dropped Milah on the asphalt and lifted my chin as to address me.

"See here, love, what's a pretty girl like you doing with this piece of filth?" The man pointed at Milah, who began to cry again and I couldn't control the grimace that covered my face at her pained expression.

"I was only trying to help her." I tried to avoid the tremors in my voice, but I didn't sound nearly as confident as I would have liked. "It didn't seem like you were doing much help saving her, so a hero had to come some time." The man knelt down next to me on the ground and stroked my hair.

"Feisty, aren't you? Well, here's the thing, dear. I'm here to offer you a job, and if you really want it, you'll have to do something about that mouth of yours. I'd like you to use it for more _useful_ purposes." I widened my eyes at this man who dared to make a sexual innuendo in the present situation. For a moment, I caught a glimpse of his eyes, a deep sea blue. His dark brown matted hair stuck out at awkward angles, an indication of recent sexual activity, and despite his rough nature, he was undeniably built well and had sculpted muscles.

"Emma, don't do it!" Milah was desperate and in pain as she struggled to scoot closer to me. She begged with all her might and all the strength in her that her voice would allow.

"Shut up! Stay out of this, Milah. I'm sure this beauty can decide for herself what she wants to do. Isn't that right, sweetheart?" I contemplated on what to say next. If I was paid for my services, I may be able to work up funds for a better space or maybe even a car.

"Okay, say I take this job offer. What's in it for me?" Negotiation seemed like a useful tactic in finding out what this man's intentions were, although he made himself quite clear in trying to have sex with me.

"Oh, I can give you _anything_ you want, darling. Ask it and it's yours. That is, if you offer your services to me adequately enough. I mean, what's the point in having someone incapable of doing what I ask of them?" Milah was still sobbing behind me and I couldn't help but reconsider taking the job. The offer did sound very convincing, but was it all just lies? Well, I wouldn't know until I found out, I guess.

"Fine, but tell me your name first and I'll give you mine. Then we'll talk." Being firm seemed to work in my favor when it came to negotiating and making deals. The man shook my hand and offered to help me stand.

"The name's Killian Jones. I own and manage a club called Pixie Hollow just outside of Boston. And your name?"

"Emma. Emma Swan. Currently unemployed but I used to work at Granny's on Wolfe Street." No doubt, Killian was very attractive, but was he really the person he made himself out to be? I doubted myself on if my perception of this man was anywhere near correct.

"Let's take a walk back to the mansion, shall we? Milah, run along now. Seems you've been replaced. Go back to your cowardly dog of a husband." With that, Killian took my arm in his and began to walk back towards his mansion. He said nothing for a while until we reached the gate of the estate and turned me to face him.

"Listen here, Emma Swan. From the time you enter these gates, you are in my possession. You do what I ask of you, and you will get a reward in return. But if you disobey me, there will be consequences. And your friend Milah was just exposed to them for the third time. Let's hope you won't give me that much trouble. It really is a burden to conjure up these things." I couldn't help but tense at the thought of being "punished" like Milah was. It made me cringe just thinking about it. Killian place a hand on my shoulder and tried to brighten the mood.

"On the lighter side of things, come inside and have some champagne. As of today, you are my 'personal assistant,' in other words, my servant. Come inside, _Emma_." Killian made it a point to emphasize my name and let it roll off of his tongue like sweet warm honey. I was in shock for a moment after his declaration of my place in his house.

"I'm sorry, your _what_?!"

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Okay, so I realize it is a bit short, but it gets longer, I promise! If you're not keen to the idea of what you just read and can probably assume, DO NOT read this! This plot is very dark and twisted. It's a bit OOC for both Hook and Emma, but I'll try to keep a reality check every once in a while. Any ideas/prompts/etc. my tumblr is princessdancedreams ( ) so ask or submit there! Thanks so much!

- Ashley Marie -


	3. Two: Laying Down the Law

We All Have Our Demons

AU Prompt: Killian is a wealthy man with a large estate, and Emma finds a job at his mansion as his "personal assistant." As I've said before, this gets darker. You have been warned.

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Chapter Two: Laying Down the Law (Emma's POV)

Did he _seriously _just call me his servant?! For God's sake, this _is not_ 1505. Something really was weird about this man, but I just couldn't seem to find out what it was. Maybe Milah was right that this could be the biggest mistake of my life. For starters, he didn't seem all that bad, that is until the word "servant" was used. I have no clue what I was expected of in his house, unless what he was implying . . . Nope. Don't wanna cross that bridge until I have to.

"Did you not understand me, love? I mean to tell you that since you've set foot on my land, you are my property now. I own you and whatever you do now." Killian set off back into the house, but I pulled him back before I went anywhere near that mansion.

"Whoa, now! This is just- Look, I'm not a piece of property to be bought and sold! I'm a real human being, _Mister_ Jones, and I would greatly appreciate it if you'll kindly keep that in mind." Killian scoffed at me and grabbed my shoulders as to intimidate me.

"Oh, Emma. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, do you?" His eyes seemed to pierce my body the longer he stared at me. I couldn't help but become entranced with the gleam of them in the moonlight, but in such a pressing state, I had to prioritize my thoughts.

"I don't, but I am more than well-prepared to have some clue of what I did sign up for here. I mean, am I washing dishes, cleaning, tidying up and stuff?"

"Well, yes, but that's your day job. At night, dear Emma, is where magic really happens. Think of it. Something I've come to realize in my years of experience is that intimacy and vulnerability are one in the same if you play your cards right." I backed away from Killian nervously, trying not to let my apprehensiveness show.

"What are you saying, Killian?" He stroked my hair affectionately and gave me a half-smile for some comfort.

"Imagine with me for a moment, love. The best sex you've ever had. Your head thrown back in ecstasy as I am dripping out every last moment of your orgasm, all while firmly restrained to my bed. And that's on a rewarding night. Given you any," Killian leaned into my ear, "thoughts, dear? Hmm?" I had to admit that was very hot coming from him, but the idea of that was just completely outlandish. I mean, who in their right mind would allow themselves to go through with that? Unless he means . . .

"Oh, I get it. So, I'm like your new Ana from Fifty Shades of Grey, right? The perfect little submissive to you so that your darkest mind can wander and tame itself." Killian slowly advanced on me again as I turned to face him.

"Ah, you're a quick learner, I see." Even though he was about a head taller than me, I still tried to look a bit less meek from my position and stood up a bit straighter as I ventured into verbal combat.

"So I've been told. Better question: Why would I really want to become this . . . this . . . Ugh, I can't even say it! The word leaves a very bitter aftertaste in my mouth." Killian raised his eyebrows and his eyes darkened with a carnal fire blazing in his irises.

"The plus side is that I can give you something to wash it down with. I've been told it tastes divine. Those who have tried it come begging for every last drop I've got to offer. Don't worry, love, you'll get your chance . . . if you're good. And if you aren't, well, that's when we have our consequences." I stared at Killian challengingly, unafraid and prepared to take his next move.

"So, you're laying down the law for me, am I right?" Killian patted my head like I was a kid, which made me feel a bit mistreated.

"Precisely. Here are the rules. No leaving the premises without my permission. Don't associate with anyone unless you're addressed to. Answer the phone only when I say so, and don't try calling anyone either. This is the way it works on my property; I make the demands, you follow them. Simple enough?" I nodded. "Now, if you obey my every command without any attitude from sun up to sun down, you get your reward after sunset. And if I hear a bit of lip from you, you'll want to rethink your actions, and trust me, I'll make sure you _never_ do it again."

We were face to face, lips a hairsbreadth away from kissing. Honestly, in the heat of the moment, I was very curious and wanted to kiss him. But I didn't since I knew I'd be crossing boundaries too soon. I didn't want to jeopardize my fate and well-being over a petty curiosity. I mean, I saw what happened to Milah . . .

"Okay. I seem to get the concept." Putting on my best fake attitude to hide my temptations, I avoided further mention of my job. I backed away a few steps to gain some space in case he tried anything.

"Scared of me, Swan?" Killian almost laughed at my reaction to his closeness, and I tried to laugh it off.

"What, no! No, I'm-I'm not-" He shot me a look of pure disbelief and cocked one eyebrow and painted on his famous smug smirk. "Well, I mean, maybe a little bit, but it's not anything like-" There he was again getting up in my personal space. Obviously, the man has no boundaries when it comes to that sort of thing and has zero respect for it either.

"Ah, well, get used to it, love. Intimidation is really the only way to earn respect . . . and obedience. I mean, take it from your friend Milah, for instance. She-" As soon as Milah's name popped up, my tone changed immediately. I knew it. My suspicions really were true, so I just had to dig the truth out of him.

"What did you do to her?" I was beyond pissed. He hurt her, and I was going to find out why somehow, but it may take some time since Killian wasn't necessarily an open book.

"Don't worry about your little friend, my dear. She just got a bit cocky and needed a reminder of what place she had here. I told you about my consequences, right? Well, she's the living proof of what happens when you forget who you're dealing with. She thought she loved me. I was her one and only that made her complete. While I enjoyed her adoration of me, she just forgot that her purpose was not to be my lover, per say."

Images of Milah bruised and beaten popped back into my mind. Crying on the side of the road, begging me not to ruin my life by taking the job. God, I think I made the wrong choice. I doubted if what I did was for Milah's sake by taking her place or for the money I thought I would earn at the time. Now, that didn't seem to be the case.

"But maybe she did love you. Maybe you two could have ended up for you if the match was truly right. You could have been happy, you know. She could have given you what you wanted, but you let her go, Killian. Big mistake on your part there. Milah's a sweet girl, and you could have learned to love her instead of treating her like a piece of shit on the side of the road. And now you have me, an even bigger piece of shit. Nice upgrade, don't you agree?" I began to walk away, but Killian pulled me back by my hair and wrenched my head back while pulling me towards him.

"You're not going anywhere, Emma." His tone became low and menacing, almost predatorily. "Oh, no. You're my new treasure, sweet girl. You were so naive for giving up everything you had to come here, and now you're stuck. You won't get out until I throw you out, unless of course, you're good enough to keep around. But until that day comes, I have to test your skills and see who you really are." I gulped, my eyes bulging out of their sockets.

"Wh-what are you going to do to me?" My breath caught in my throat as his hot breath trickled down my ear and neck, resting at the junction of my neck and shoulder and planted a kiss there. He spun me around in a split second, and I gasped at the color in his blue eyes, now an almost grey.

"That's for me to know and you to find out, love. You will soon, but not today. Now, I won't start your work until tomorrow since it's getting late. I'll show you to our room and you just settle in. Don't get to comfortable, though; you'll regret it later, I promise you." Killian led me into the house by the small of my back. I stopped him just before we entered the front door on the porch.

"Wait, did you say _our_ room?" Killian waggled his eyebrows and smirked again. "So we have to . . ." Again with that damn smirk. "Jesus Christ, I'm dead. You totally could have explained that _before_ I took your damn job offer! Damn it, what did I get myself into?!" Killian laughed.

"Where's the fun in that, love? The element of surprise and risk-taking is the whole point of life, isn't it? So why not explore the concept and make the most of life?" Oh God. I was never coming out of this alive.

* * *

The house was elaborate even at night. Chandeliers, pristine tile floors, the aroma of candles burning throughout the foyer, and the expensive furniture made my jaw drop. Literally. He led me through the house, and I stopped to appreciate the beauty of it all as we walked further into the house.

"This is your house?" He nodded. "Good God, it's like a castle in here! Except without all the knights in shining armor and the servants and everything." I had to giggle at something I said. Being his servant from now on made it quite funny that I compared this place to a castle as he was the king of the joint.

"Something funny, Swan?" The comment wasn't as joking as I thought it would have sounded, and I stopped abruptly to look at him.

"No, no. It's nothing, I promise." He grunted and continued through the house without a word. We continued this path of uncomfortable silence until he led me to the master bedroom and invited me in. Again, the place was elaborate, indeed. It just needed some tidying up, a sign of the earlier struggle in this room. I felt bad for coming in when I could have stopped him, but I didn't. I was too busy concerned about me and getting good money that I couldn't control my impulses. It was just too much.

"So, this is our bed, huh?" Killian nodded and moved towards the bed. The comforter was purple and the white satin sheets contrasted the regal purple well. Nice color choice of white sheets.

"Yes, Swan. It's ours for now. Please, sit on it if you'd like. I have no worries about the sheets since you'll clean them in the morning." I nodded with a half-smile and looked around at the mess in the room. "I realize it's not in prime condition right now, but if you do a good job cleaning it tomorrow, we might be able to have some fun in here. How's that sound?" I tried to smile and blinked away the tears from my eyes, wiping a stray that landed on my cheek.

"Sounds great." I managed to choke it out with my throat welled up from the impending tears that began to leak furiously down my face. I couldn't stop them after a while of bottling the guilt I felt since I left Milah. It was my fault and I couldn't change or erase what I did now. No turning back. Killian sighed and sat behind me on the bed rubbing my shoulders.

"Swan, I . . ." I cried even harder and buried my face in my hands. I couldn't handle myself anymore and let the emotions run their course. "Emma." The sound of my name shocked me for a moment and I gasped at hearing it so suddenly. "Look at me, darling." He lifted my chin with his finger and hushed my crying, brushing tears away with his thumb.

"I'm sorry. I don't usually get like this, but . . . it's all my fault and I can't do anything to change it or go back and-" Killian cut me off by putting his finger to my lips.

"Shhhh. I hate seeing women upset, I really do. Look, you can't worry about that now. The past is in the past, dead and gone now. Normally, I'd be punishing you for acting out like this, but since you haven't officially started working yet, I'll give you this one, love. I won't try anything since it is the first night, but I'll give you whatever you want right now. What do you want from me?" Killian's voice was low and smooth the whole time and it comforted me to see him not so harsh sometimes. Maybe he could be gentle when he wanted to. Maybe he wasn't as much of a beast as I thought he was.

"Just hold me, Killian. I haven't had a man's touch in years, and I just need someone here right now. So, just hold me, please."

"As you wish, darling." And so he did. That night, for the first time in a while, I slept peacefully.

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Wow, this chapter didn't turn out as planned, but I hope you liked it! Not too heavy on mature content yet, but it will when my muse gets to writing it and, of course, when the time is right. Thanks to all the reviewers, followers, favorites, etc. You all are the ones who keep me writing and you have brought me back into a passion of mine that I've missed for a while. I've been in a dark place over the past year, and I'm so grateful to know that there are people out there who encourage young writers to pursue something they love. Love you all!

- Ashley Marie -


	4. Three: First Day Disaster

We All Have Our Demons

**AU Prompt: Killian is a wealthy man with a large estate, and Emma finds a job at his mansion as his "personal assistant."**** NOTE: Starting to get a bit mature, but not NC-17 material.**

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Chapter Three: First Day Disaster (Emma's POV)

I slept great last night, Killian's strong arms wrapped around my waist as the night carried on. I dreamed of my happily ever after, even though I was nowhere near getting it. I was free and alive and truly happy with myself and the world around me. No more to-do lists of tedious chores in life, no more heartaches or sorrow, and I finally found my true home and a place where I truly belonged and felt loved. Feeling loved: that was my happily ever after.

It's not to say I didn't want a Prince Charming to sweep me off my feet, shower me with attention, and promise he'll spend the rest of his existence with me; it's just . . . I didn't need one (not at the time, at least). One day, maybe I would meet the perfect guy and we could get married and have a family, but that wasn't what I had really dreamed of. It would be nice to not have my heart broken with every man I meet, but I realized that it wasn't all that mattered. I was suddenly pulled out of my blissful dream state with a tap on my shoulder.

"Five more minutes . . ." I snuggled in closer to my pillow and smiled as I sank further into the covers. I heard a familiar chuckle above my head . . . Killian, of course.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead." I felt the covers being thrown off my body and my foot snagged on the comforter. I tumbled off the edge of the bed, not very gracefully, I might add. I landed with a thud on the plush carpet below me, softening my fall. I groaned as I sat back up and found Killian lounging on the bed, one arm propped under his head.

"Ugh, what time is it?" I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and moved to stand up and crawl back in bed, but my muscles were not having it that day.

"Oh, only half past five." He was really too cheerful for five-thirty in the morning. I eventually got back on the bed and collapsed on my back. Rubbing my head, I tried to close my eyes and fall back asleep, but Killian was persistent on having me up at this hour.

"Five-thirty, seriously? The sun's not even up yet. Killian, why in the hell am I awake so early?" My voice still spoke in sleep tone since I haven't woken up this early in years. I rolled on my stomach and buried my face in a pillow, but Killian grabbed my hand and sat me up to face him.

"Long day ahead of us. Don't worry, you'll get used to the sleep schedule. It's tough at first, but you'll grow accustomed to it eventually." He led me to his very large walk-in closet and opened the door wide. The closet seemed to sparkle from all the expensive items in it. From Dolce and Gabbana to Gucci and even Armani, everything in the closet looked like it had never been worn. My mouth literally fell open.

"Holy shit. How do you afford all this stuff?!" I looked like a kid in a candy store as I made my way past shoes, coats and suits of every style and color imaginable.

"I'm an entrepreneur, my dear. Have to dress the part equally well. Now then, for you, I have this." Killian opened the door to show another very large closet of women's clothes, and yet again, my jaw dropped. Dresses of nearly every color, shoes that girls can only dream of, and purses that I only saw celebrities carrying around.

"This is . . . my closet?" Killian nodded and pulled out a short black mini-dress with a white corset bodice detail and smirked at my utterly stunned reaction at seeing the outfit.

"It's all yours, Emma. Now then, hurry and put this on for me, will you? It should fit you well enough. I want to see when you're done." Killian turned to leave but stopped himself and turned back to Emma. "Oh, one more thing. Put these on too." Black pumps that looked nine miles high appeared in my hands and I nearly went into cardiac arrest. I had never seen so many expensive things in the same room, nor had I ever worn heels that high. Killian closed the closet door and, apprehensively, I began to put my new clothes on. After slipping the dress and shoes on, I took a last glance in the mirror at my new look and swept my hair behind my ear before exiting the closet. Not even a moment later, Killian's eyes roved over my body.

"Oh, lass. You in that dress is just absolutely lethal. I can't wait until . . . well, you'll find out soon enough." With a seductive wink, he led me around the house and let me explore the house.

"I realize it's a mess at the moment, but that's exactly why I'm putting you to work. Now, you'll start in the kitchen, and see to it that it looks brand new. If you do the task like I asked, you'll be given another, but I won't give you any until you've done your job exactly how I want it done. Are we clear?" I smiled sweetly at Killian, face to face with me at this point.

"Crystal." I presented him with a curt nod and turned my back to enter the kitchen, swaying my hips in the mini-dress and made sure my heels clicked loudly against the tile floor. From the way I saw Killian eyeing my butt during my tour of the house, I was under the impression that the dress actually looked really good on me. Score one, Emma!

Much to my dismay, I set off to clean the mountain of dishes in the sink and on the counter top. Good God, this man must have a feast every night or something! It really was a tedious task, but I did it (reluctantly, of course). It felt just like old times back at the diner, and frankly, times I didn't want to repeat. I wouldn't have thought I would be stuck in the same place I was in before all of this: scrubbing dishes, cleaning counters, and worse, picking up after people who thought they owned the stars and the moon. Scrubbing off last night's meatloaf and mashed potatoes from the dishes, I hummed the tune to "Hallelujah," one of my all-time favorite songs. I got lost in the bridge when-CRASH! Oh, shit. I broke a piece of china as I hummed to myself and got distracted. Oh God, Killian would murder me if he heard-

"Emma? What was that? Did you break -" His voice was distant from across the house but loud enough for my ears to hear.

"No, everything's fine!" God, I really am a terrible liar. He had to have heard the crash because he came running in almost immediately after I responded. I muttered curses to myself as I picked up the shattered china fragments from the tile floor and placed them on the counter. And there was Killian death-glaring me from the opposite side of the kitchen.

"Emma, what did I tell you about lying to me? You know it's never a good thing to defy your authority, right?" I nodded, throat completely closed off and unable to allow myself to speak. "You also know that lying results in _consequences_, does it not?" Again, I nodded and my eyes felt like bulging from their sockets.

With a smirk and predatory chuckle, Killian stalked towards me and reveled in the fact that, yes, I was afraid of him at the moment. He raised his hand and I braced my face for the impact, but it never came. I nearly jumped ten feet because the force landed on my right ass cheek. Involuntarily, I cursed and groaned from the very harsh slap; I could still feel the ripples of his hand on my bare ass even after Killian palmed and rubbed the cheek to ease the burning sensation that ran down to my legs.

"I'm thinking, my pet, that you haven't quite learned your lesson. How about another to even out the playing field, hmm?" Not even a second later, my left ass cheek received a slap just as hard as the first, and I gasped, even though I should have felt it coming. His long fingers assaulted the cheek after the impact and his palm held my ass firmly, squeezing it once before turning his back on me. I groaned a little and looked to see if he left any marks . . . turns out, two large handprints semi-tattooed to my ass. Wonderful.

"You think you hurt now? Oh dear, you don't know what hurting is until you disobey me, and I'm hoping you'll be a sweet little servant for me. I really don't want to damage your pretty face, it's just so valuable to me. Now, finish up in here and hurry. You have lots of work for me today. And remember, no more disruptions or else you won't able to sit for a very long while. Are we clear?" I didn't dare to speak and nodded quickly with my lips pursed together. Killian brushed a hair from my face and tucked it behind my ear. "There's a good girl."

I let out a sigh of relief as soon as he left the room and turned back to the sink. The tension in the moment was really just too much to handle, given the compromising situation and knowing Killian's nature now. As soon as I cleaned the rest of the dishes from the sink and put them in their respective cabinets, I made my way into the sitting room where Killian was waiting for me, feet lounging on the ottoman in front of a lush purple chair.

"Finished already?" I didn't want to ruin my chances, so, again, I just smiled and nodded. "Well, why don't you take a little rest and have some tea with me, then I'll give you something else to do?" I mean, he was giving me a break, so I guess I could speak, but I remembered not to say anything sassy or out of line.

"Sounds great." I smiled and headed towards the kitchen again hurriedly, but Killian turned me by my shoulder and made me face him. The look in his eyes seemed almost . . . genuinely sweet. But I couldn't trust the demeanor change; it seemed too sudden, too soon.

"Hey, you can trust me, you know. I'm not as dark as people say I am, despite common beliefs. I like you, Emma Swan. You're different, in the best way I can phrase that. Don't worry, I'm not that much of a monster." I smiled a bit and headed into the kitchen, heating up the stove and grabbing the kettle for the water. We sat in an awkward silence until the kettle began to whistle and I turned the stove off. "Tea bags are in the pantry and cups are in the top right cabinet." I grabbed the items diligently and placed them on the counter neatly. I felt Killian's eyes on me the entire time I had my back turned to him, spying me and watching me like prey.

"There is a cup with a red flower on it in the cabinet, could you get it for me? It's special." I realized after my blunder earlier that the teacup I broke had a red flower on it too . . .

"Um, Killian . . . there's a slight problem." Killian came closer to me and I nearly threw up from anxiety. What would he do to me if he found out that I shattered his special teacup?!

"And what's that, darling?" I pointed to the china strewn across the counter and looked down to avoid seeing his reaction to the disaster I caused. "Emma . . ." There was that warning voice again and the growl as he said my name through his teeth. I heard Killian take in a long breath and knew what was coming next. "I can't believe you. This is all your fault, you stupid girl! Do you know you can never fix what you've done? Never! This was the only reminder I had of her, and now, because of _you,_ I have none!"

"Who was it, Kill-" This time, I felt the sting in my face harder than on my ass and I grabbed my cheek instinctively to soothe the pain. I screamed this time and hated myself for letting Killian see me weak. All of a sudden, I felt my body pushed against the pantry door and Killian's face near inches from my own and a very sharp knife just grazing my throat. A strangled cry left my lips. Killian silenced me with a hand to my mouth.

"Shhhh. Now, listen to me very carefully. You will obey my command and do what I ask of you or this knife will slit your slender little neck. And we wouldn't want that, now would we?" A muffled whimper and shake of my head under Killian's hand made him smile evilly. "Excellent. Now, be a good girl and follow me. Don't ask me where we are going, and do not speak unless I tell you so." He grabbed my arm roughly and led me toward the back of the house. I could only imagine where I would be going . . . and I was right.

Once again, I reacquainted myself with the decor of Killian's bedchambers and God only knows what he would ask of me . . .

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**Sorry this took a bit longer to get up! I have my dance recital in five days and I'm recovering from a knee injury. After recital is over, I'll be able to focus on getting this one finished! Thank you to all that have reviewed, favorited, and followed! I truly do appreciate the kind words. Love to all!**

**- Ashley Marie**


	5. Four: No Light (DARK)

We All Have Our Demons

**AU Prompt: Killian is a wealthy man with a large estate, and Emma finds a job at his mansion as his "personal assistant."**

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Chapter Four: No Light (Emma's POV)

**WARNING: Mature content ahead. You have been cautioned.**

The white satin sheets cushioned my fall as Killian pushed me down on the bed. I landed flat on my back and moved to sit up, but Killian dug his fingers into my shoulder and pushed me down again. He was close, a little too close for my taste, and his eyes turned black with rage and anger.

"You've been a very bad girl, my pet. And I believe it's about high time I let you see what being bad does to you." His fingers trailed my cheekbone and made their way down to the column of my throat.

"Wh-what are you going to do to me?" I was piss scared. I couldn't help but turn my head away in fear of looking into his eyes. Black voids of darkness, malice, and hatred greeted me as he snapped my head back towards him.

"I'm going to take it slow this first time, love, but don't get used to it. I want you to feel the pain that I feel every damned day I live. You have no idea what it's like to live in constant hurt and darkness. You couldn't possibly imagine the grief and suffering I deal with. That's why I'm the way I am, you know. In my life, all I see, hear, touch, smell, and even taste is darkness. It consumes me like a raging hellfire. And now, you're going to get a feeling of what it's like to live that way."

I whimpered quietly and waited for the first blow to come, but I felt Killian move off of me instead and towards a large chest of drawers on the opposite end of the room. He removed a few objects from the drawer, however the lighting in the room made it difficult to see what they were. I sat up slowly and moved farther on the bed and made a loud creaking noise when I moved to a certain dip near the center. I sat back on my hands and waited for Killian to turn around. He faced me slowly and I could see the gleam of his pearly white teeth as he gave me an evil smile and moved closer to the bed.

"Turn around." His command was gruff and I obeyed quickly and waited in the eerie silence of the bedroom. Suddenly, I felt a large piece of cloth enter my mouth. My hands flew up instinctively to try and remove it, but Killian's iron grip prevented me from doing so. He tied the knot firmly as to keep me quiet through whatever he was about to do. My struggles to cry out were fruitless. Killian had me under his thumb, and I couldn't do anything about it.

His hot breath grazed my ear and hushed me. "Quiet now, pet. Wouldn't want to be found out in here, now would you? Imagine how terrible that would make you look. The slave to Killian Jones, the master of all things evil." I shook my head. He bit the top of my ear and I winced in pain, trying to cower away from his advances. Killian was relentless on making me suffer, and I had no idea what to expect. I sat thinking for a moment . . .

Then came the pain. I felt the blade of a knife against my skin pressing into my throat just deep enough to puncture and draw blood. I wanted to scream but I knew I'd only get hurt if I tried. My eyes squeezed shut and I gasped, readying myself for the next slash. It never came. Killian leaned down to the sight of blood on my neck and kissed it, tasting the blood as his mouth trailed up towards my ear.

"Did I hurt you?" I nodded slowly and tried to face him, but he kept my head away from him. He placed a kiss behind my ear and sucked on a tender spot that made me shiver. Was he trying to seduce me now? Or was this just part of the plan? I couldn't and wouldn't be able to tell for a while. "Why don't you let me kiss it all better?" Without waiting for my response, his hungry mouth devoured my neck with kisses, licks, and nibbles that sent heat straight to my core. I moaned involuntarily when his teeth latched onto my collarbone and sighed contently when he stopped hurting me.

Without warning, his lips pressed on mine and moved in perfect tandem with his smooth touch all over my body. Time seemed to stop for a moment as I savored the taste of his lips against mine. Liquid heat pooled at my center, never thinking I could have been so aroused by such a dark man as Killian Jones. He grabbed my breast and fondled it in his right hand and his left trailed up my neck to cup my cheek and remove the gag from my mouth. As soon as I was free, I greedily pressed my lips to his, but he turned away and pushed my head down.

"No no, my dear girl. You don't get the pleasure here. You will service me, and if you satisfy me, I'll see about giving you some satisfaction. I know you're on the edge, but I won't let you release yet. Not until you do your _real_ job." Knowing what he wanted me to do, I moved my hands to unzip his trousers, but he pushed them off. "I'm testing you, my girl. Let's see how well you can use that mouth of yours."

It sounded like a challenge, but I dated men who liked mouth more than hands, so I complied naturally. Since his button was already undone thanks to my hands, getting the zipper down with my teeth was easy enough. My eyes locked with his in a lustful stare-off as I scooted down his legs and pulled off his pants with my teeth. His silk boxers only clothed him now and were given the same treatment as his pants. Just barely enough to feel, my mouth grazed over his erect cock and he smiled when I winked at him, his boxers now out of sight. Killian pulled me towards him and leaned into my ear and placed his hand in my hair.

"Emma." His voice was raw and guttural. In an act to seduce him, I rolled my hips against his pelvis and bit down softly on his earlobe. While I was enjoying myself getting lost in my momentary control, Killian slapped my ass again and grabbed my face.

"Remember, you're still my pet. Not until I get what I want from you will you get your reward. Now, in this setting, I'm your master and that is how you'll address me. You are mine, and I do intend to claim you as such. You do want a reward, correct, my pet?"

"Yes, I-" Killian slapped my ass again and scolded me. "Yes, Master."

"There's a good girl. Now, give me what I want. But remember, you must give it to me how I will be most pleased. You do want to please me, do you not?"

"Yes, Master." I moved my head near his erect member and stroked it gently at first, trying to gain some familiarity before I ventured further. I felt Killian's dark eyes boring into me and watching my every move, seeming to read my soul like a paperback novel. I was nervous as hell, and I'm sure he noticed my trembling fingers trying to stroke him. Timidly, I swirled my tongue around his shaft and up to the head. After a while, I utilized my right hand to pump his shaft. It was a meek attempt in my flustered state, and of course, no response.

"Emma, listen to me. I know you're nervous, but don't be. Take a chance. Be bold. Surprise me. I'm up for anything." I nodded and continued my exploration. I teased him with long strokes of my tongue for a while, then closed my mouth around him suddenly and took him deep in my throat. I heard a groan from Killian and I smiled a little while bobbing my head up and down his shaft. He liked the way my teeth grazed over him on the upward motions and how I darted my tongue into his slit every so often. For a while, I felt like I had the power, having this man so close to orgasm certainly gave me the upper hand. The thing is, his release never came.

"Ah, now you're starting to see, my dear, that I'm the one in control still. It turns out I have more will power than you'd think. I'm going to get my release other ways, and trust me, you aren't going to like it too much. On the floor." I obeyed, knowing exactly what Killian wanted. He didn't even have to tell me how he wanted me; I just knew how he wanted to take me. "I see you're a mind reader too. I like you, my sweet girl. But know this. If you fight me, I will fight you back harder. Don't test me." He growled the last sentence in my ear.

All of a sudden, I felt a sudden fullness. Killian pushed into me from behind, hands gripping my breasts. I whimpered as I adjusted to the feeling of his very large dick inside of me; thankfully, he hadn't moved yet. I heard his groan of pleasure in my ear and something that sounded like my name. Slowly but surely, he began to move hard and fast inside me, his thrusts hitting my wall every time. Trying to get a little pleasure for myself, I rocked my hips in time with his, but he wouldn't have that.

"No no, Emma. This is not your pleasure." His hands grabbed my hips roughly and held them against his pelvis, and I was left on all fours taking it. What else could I have done? Nothing, unless I wanted to get hurt. I had to admit, Killian undoubtedly had lots of practice in the past, so he obviously had perfected his skills over the years. Not to say it felt good or right, but he wasn't entirely clueless either.

"Say my name, Emma." An odd request, being that there was nothing sensual or romantic in this situation. I thought that only happened when people made love, not . . . whatever the hell this was.

"Your-your real name?" I had no clue, so I figured it was better to ask than be wrong. Bad idea. I was awarded with a particularly hard thrust, and I cried out from the waves of pain that coursed through my lower body.

"Yes. Now say it, pet. Come on." He didn't move a muscle until I said his name, a quiet broken whisper. A mix of pain and pleasure.

"Killian." He sighed and began to thrust again, gradually picking up his pace. I said his name again a little louder and from what I could tell, he liked it. He muttered random and unintelligible phrases to me (or maybe not to me) and the slapping sound of my skin against his seemed to really excite him. I dared not to question anything he said or did; I just lay there an emotionally scarred and broken mess, trying not to think of what was going on that I couldn't see.

His pace became frenzied in a hurry as he was eager to finish himself off inside me. His thrusts became harder, his noises louder, his breathing heavier, until his hips finally stilled inside of me and I felt his release fill me. He sighed and fondled my breasts again while trying to control his breathing. He pulled out of me slowly and I nearly sank to the floor from exhaustion.

I moved my tired legs to sit on the edge of the bed, looking down and feeling like shit. Neither of us spoke for a long while; we just sat and embraced the silence and tried to comprehend what just happened. I didn't want to be the first to speak nor could I be. I was in an awful trance of remorse and self-disdain and didn't know if and when I would ever get pulled out.

"Emma." Killian spoke my name from the opposite end of the room, but I didn't acknowledge him or speak. "Look at me, darling." I couldn't, not after what just happened. A tear slipped from the corner of my eye, not because I was sad or upset. I was angry. He reached out to stroke my arm, but I bristled at his touch and turned away from him.

"Leave me alone, Killian. I don't want to speak to you." I bit out each word with equal venom and emphasized even more on his name. The look painted on his face stated confusion. It didn't take much to realize he knew exactly why I was angry; I wasn't an idiot nor would I keep myself living like this. He turned my face towards him and stared me straight in the eyes.

"You are still mine, my dear. And no matter how long you try to avoid that fact, you can't. I won't let you keep all that in forever, you know. Eventually, I'll harness whatever you're feeling out of you."

"Yeah, good luck with that. I've built up walls higher than the Empire State Building, and anyone who has ever tried to scale them tumbled to their death, so be my guest. But you will never break them down. Not a man with as many demonic souls inside of him as you." I stood up and walked towards the bathroom to clean myself up, but Killian turned me around and stopped me.

"I'd say the same about yourself, love. We all have our demons, some people more than others. You're a tough lass, but here's the thing: I love a challenge. I'll tell you what. Three months I'll give you, and in those three months, try to see if you can purge the demons out of me, just as I will do to you. I'll get those walls to come crashing down at your feet somehow. What do you say, my dear? Brave enough to take the risk?" My back straightened and I looked Killian square in the eyes challengingly.

"You've got yourself a challenge, _Master_." I shook his hand on the deal firmly and turned to enter the bathroom.

"Aye, that I do," he muttered to himself and collapsed on his bed, arms shielding his eyes. It wasn't until I came back in the room ten minutes later that I realized he was asleep. Feeling like it was the right thing to do, I sat on the bed next to him and watched his chest rise and fall. There was no light in his bright blue eyes when he stared into my soul, but I started to think that maybe, just maybe, the raging sea inside of him could be tamed. Without realizing it, my head rested on his shoulder and I too fell asleep . . .

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That took an unexpected turn for me in the process of writing this, but I hope you liked how it came out! More to come soon, I promise!

- Ashley Marie


	6. Five: Facades and Unfortunate Findings

We All Have Our Demons

**AU Prompt: Killian is a wealthy man with a large estate, and Emma finds a job at his mansion as his "personal assistant."**

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Chapter Five: Facades and Unfortunate Findings

What I was feeling at the time, I couldn't explain. I was torn between what my brain wanted me to do and what my body wanted me to do. Matters of the heart are always the hardest, me of all people should know. Worse for wear and just flat out tired, I lay on the bed next to Killian and watched him sleep for as long as I could keep my eyes open. But I fell asleep after a while, even though I willed myself not to show weakness like that. I was out for a while, or at least it felt like an eternity. What woke me from my slumber wasn't my body telling me to get up but the hand I felt stroking my arm and moving to my hair.

"Emma . . . you alive . . . wake up, sweetheart . . ." Fragments of sentences coming from that smug Irish bastard helped me rise out of my subconscious. I tried to find my voice but I only managed a small groan. I opened my eyes to see Killian's relieved face above me and his hand in my hair.

"Oh, thank God! I thought you were dead. Don't scare me like that again." His hand brushed my cheek and smiled, offering his hand to help me sit up.

"How . . . how long have I been sleeping?" I rubbed my eyes and tried to focus my vision on Killian, but everything looked hazy and distorted.

"A day and a half. Emma, I was genuinely scared, I thought you were dead. I tried to wake you a number of times, but every time I tried, nothing happened. You had me scared to death, Emma. What happened to you?" Killian moved to sit on the bed with me and rubbed my arm comfortingly. This was definitely a change in behavior since the last time I saw him. I wasn't too sure what happened, but I wanted to know what had him so worked up about me.

"Why is it so important to you what happens to me, Killian?" It was a genuine question, and hopefully, I'd get a genuine answer from him.

"Emma, I don't want to harm you and if something bad happens to you, I don't want it to be because of me. You are a part of my life now, and I don't want to lose you." I read his eyes for any signs of lying. With this Romeo-esque speech, it couldn't be anywhere near true. I mean, this was the man who abused my sex just the other day, and all of a sudden, he becomes living Shakespeare? Something is definitely up.

"You can't be serious. No one in their right mind would go through all this trouble to ensure my safety and survival because no one ever has." Killian grabbed my face gently and turned me towards him.

"Well, who said I was in my right mind, hmm? Emma, look, I'm not exactly like everyone else you've seen and been with, but-"

"That I've definitely noticed," I interjected with a hint of sarcasm.

"Not what I meant. Anyway, you're in my life now and I'm making sure you and I both fulfill what we are meant to do, whether you like it or not. Look, I'm willing to make you a . . . proposition." I perked up a little at the sound of his words. "I want to take you out tonight, show you my social setting and the types of people I have to tolerate at functions I attend. Be on your best behavior with me and I'll show you something when we return home later. Sound like a deal?" I smiled and shook his hand.

"I believe we have ourselves a deal, Mr. Jones."

"Indeed we do, Ms. Swan. Now, you obviously can't go out looking the way you are, so I'm offering whatever you need to help get you cleaned up. We don't have a lot of time since the party starts at 7:30." As I was headed to the bathroom, I halted dead in my tracks at the mention of a party.

"Wait, a party?! Umm, no. Parties don't usually go so well when I'm there, and I feel like an idiot when I'm there, and-" Killian stroked my arm and gave me a comforting look.

"It's not really a party, per say. It's a dinner. You'll meet some of my colleagues and bosses and some other unimportant folks who don't concern you, or anyone for that matter. Now, go on and get yourself ready. We leave in less than two hours." Killian sent me on my merry way with a light tap to my ass, and I looked back at him, unimpressed.

I ventured back into the massive cave Killian called a closet and searched through the endless array of dresses of every size, style and color. Not that I wore dresses too much, but I knew what I should and shouldn't invest in and how to make myself look my best. I eventually settled on a short emerald dress that hugged my curves and complimented my eyes. I tried to put on a bit of makeup without looking too overdone and made up but just enough to accent my face. Those lessons that Ruby gave me all through high school before dances really came in handy. Grabbing a pair of black strappy heels and a black evening bag, I stepped out from the closet and studied myself in the mirror. Turning at all angles to make sure I looked presentable, I reached in the dresser and pulled out a silver hair comb and placed it in my hair to keep my bangs out of my face. I felt two hands on my shoulders while I fixed my hair and knew exactly who they belonged to.

"Beautiful, Emma. I love that dress on you. And I'm glad you picked it since I was planning on wearing green tonight. Almost ready?" I nodded as Killian placed a kiss on my neck and walked away. "Excellent. I'll pull the car around for you." Wow, I couldn't believe Killian was actually behaving like a gentleman for once in his life. I guess he was working to try and impress me . . .

I walked to the front door slowly, adjusting to the feeling of wearing heels again. I saw Killian's black Mercedes pull up to the front door and I stepped outside into the sultry Boston July evening. Killian opened the passenger door for me and gave me a smile as he rounded the car back to the driver's side and situated himself in the car. The ride at first was a bit awkward since neither of us knew what to do or say, so I silently suggested turning on the radio. The first song that came on I immediately recognized . . . "At Last" by Etta James. I knew this song like that back of my hand and sang the lyrics like every other time I heard the song. Looking out the window, I sang the first verse to myself, but apparently, I wasn't singing soft enough.

"You have a beautiful voice, Emma." Killian was obviously impressed. His positive appraisal made my cheeks turn a bright pink.

"Thank you. No one's ever told me that before. I'm not really the type to sing in front of people." My heart raced, my palms sweated, and my hands shook from the discomfort and uneasiness in my stomach. Thank God the destination was only a few minutes away.

"You should try it sometime." Killian gave me a wink as we parked and he stepped out of the car to open my door for me. How gentlemanly of him! He offered his hand, and I took his hand to help me stand from the very short car and led me into the hotel for the meeting.

I examined my surroundings as I entered the building with Killian and stood tall and proud as I could in my obnoxiously high heels. The small intimate restaurant at the northeast side of the hotel called La Cocina Italiana looked just like an authentic Italian cafe that I saw in "When In Rome." A hostess came to lead us to our table where I found a few sharply dressed men and beautiful women celebrating our safe arrival.

"Ah, Killian, good to see you. And who is this lovely lady you brought with you tonight? I haven't seen her before." The man who stood up to greet Killian looked a bit older, his boss maybe? Next to the older man sat a girl about my age in a midnight blue evening gown with long brown hair and the most gorgeous brown eyes.

"Everyone, this is Miss Emma Swan. She's my date tonight. And this is Mr. Gold, CEO of The Pixie Hollow." The man shook my hand politely and introduced me to his date and fiancée, Belle. She was a very sweet girl and gave me a warm-hearted welcome. Moving down the table, Killian introduced me to the other people at the table.

"Emma, this is Jefferson, manager of The Rabbit Hole and also my brother." Jefferson, much like Killian, had mysterious eyes, a signature smirk, and a voice that sent chills down my spine. The woman whom Killian neglected to introduce to be cleared her throat and stood up to introduce herself.

"And I'm Regina Mills, owner of The Queen's Palace. I'm also the head honcho of all of these amateur entrepreneurs who have greeted you, Miss Swan. So, if anything happens with your little friend Killian, just know I'll hear about it." My eyes widened a little at Regina's threat and I eyed Killian nervously, who seemed unaffected by it.

"Oh, Regina, always making an entrance," Killian muttered under his breath and pushed my chair out for me and sat down next to me. Dinner conversation was quiet, small, and polite for the most part. Between Regina boasting and Killian shooting innuendos in my ear like a fire-breathing dragon every five minutes, I maintained my cool and tried not to speak unless someone addressed me like Killian said.

"So, Emma," Regina piped up after a lull in conversation, "what do you do for a living?" I had to lie since these people were all so much higher in social standing than myself, so I used the cover story like always when I was asked.

"Well, I'm actually fresh out of undergrad and just got a degree in Marketing. I work for an advertising company." Regina seemed impressed enough and didn't press me further, but the rest of the table wanted to put their question out there.

"Are you taken, Emma?" Of course, it would be Jefferson to ask me that question. Only Killian's brother, and I could see the relation.

"Why, yes I am," I confidently replied and snuck a glance at Killian, who leaned into my ear and nervously whispered, "You are?" I laughed off Killian's response playfully tapped his shoulder.

"Oh, Killian, you're too sweet." I had to admit that I was pretty damn good at putting on this lovey-dovey facade; just like being eighteen again . . .

"I am always a gentleman, isn't that right?"

"Why, of course you are, dear! Only the sweetest and most devilishly handsome man I've ever met." Taking a sip of my wine, I took a glance at the disapproving faces of Gold and Regina, Belle's googly eyes, and Jefferson's smirk at Killian. He leaned in close to my ear again and tried to conceal whatever he tried to say.

"Well, I'll give you that one, love. I am devilishly handsome as you said, but the sweet part I'm not too sure about, if you know what I mean. But that's a subject not at the dinner table. Eat, I'm sure you're starving." I gave a little laugh and stared at the chicken alfredo sitting in front of me silently calling my name.

"Ha! You have no idea how hungry I am. And this looks absolutely delightful." Of course, I had no clue what any other foods were since the entire menu was written in Italian, but I knew enough to decipher "chicken alfredo" from the description and a few hints from Killian. The food suppressed the amount of small talk between the people around me, awkward but a huge relief not having to answer questions about my life I sure as hell wouldn't tell these people. I just met half an hour ago for Christ's sake, and they want my life story now?! I guess this maybe one reason why Killian dreaded business affairs with certain people at the table.

Killian was silent the rest of the meal, other than answering simple questions and didn't try to look at me. Something was up with him from the look he shot Jefferson when he mentioned Milah and raised his eyebrows threateningly.

"Um, would you excuse me for a second? I need to go to the bathroom. Belle, which way is it?"

"Walk out of the cafe, down the hall, and it's the third door on the left."

"Thanks." With a small nod I left the table, sick to my stomach and on the verge of tears. I hated being like this since I don't cry too often, but I know I messed up. Really bad. I know I pissed off Killian, but I can't take it back now, can I? As soon as I entered the bathroom, I closed the door and leaned back against it in frustration. I couldn't cry right now, but I wanted so bad just to make it all disappear. I almost had dozed off in a daydream when . . .

"Rough day, huh?" A voice snapped me out of my trance, and I turned to see a girl washing her hands by the sink. She had the most gorgeous wavy red hair and emerald green eyes I'd ever seen in my life. "Yeah, I do this when I get upset too. I saw you at that table with Killian Jones. Quite a man, huh?" My ears perked up at her mentioning his name.

"You know him?"

"Well. Maybe too well. I don't know, we had a thing some time ago, but as soon as I . . . well, do you actually wanna know what happened? Because it was pretty scary, let me tell you. A man like him . . . he's very conflicted inside with lots of demons and darkness in his soul, and I fell victim to that part of him once." I stepped closer to the girl, now interested in her story.

"What-what happened to you, if you don't mind me asking?" The girl sighed and looked ready to cry as well.

"It was only one time. I had a few too many drinks when we went out for the night, and he got called in to do business at the club, so I went with him. I was pretty wild that night, I will say. There was this guy named Eric, who is my boyfriend now. We were dancing and he kissed me. Well, we all know where kissing gets us." A pained laugh and a second sigh from the girl. "Anyway, he caught me with my hands on Eric's package and his hands not so innocently touching me either and went ballistic. He . . . we made a deal that he "owned" me, in theory, and I was his to do as he pleased, and I forgot the rule that the only man I could lay my hands on was him. Eric was in the hospital for over a month with four cracked ribs, a concussion, and a broken ankle. That's when he . . ." She signaled to something I knew exactly what it meant. My hand covered my mouth in total horror and I ran to hug the now crying young girl.

"I knew it was a mistake. I should have listened to Milah but I didn't. It was wrong, and now I'm trapped." The girl's head popped up at Milah's name.

"Milah, you said?"

"Yeah. She was Killian's last girl before me." The girl backed away and tried to clean up the Maybelline dripping down her cheeks with a wet paper towel.

"That's funny because I was his first. It wasn't too long ago either, but apparently I've lasted the longest. I don't know about you . . . I didn't catch your name, sorry." I headed towards her to shake her hand.

"I'm Emma. Emma Swan, and you are?"

"My name's Ariel. It's nice to meet someone who has been in the same boat as me because no one seems to understand what I'm going through. I'm too afraid Eric will disown me if I ever told him I lost my innocence to a man-whore pirate. Has he . . .?" I nodded. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." I shook my head and gave Ariel a half-smile.

"He wasn't my first, but it was . . . I don't know. I was just naive and stupid. I should have been more careful around him, but he's just . . ." I reached over to grab a paper towel and blot the mascara from Ariel's face.

"Yep. Men like him will do that to you. Make you weak in the knees and suck you into the Venus fly trap of their hearts . . . and other things." I had to laugh at that and Ariel started to laugh too.

"I should probably get going. Killian's probably looking for me." Before I made it out the door, Ariel's voice stopped me.

"Emma. We should talk sometime. I work down at The Mermaid Lagoon downtown if you get a chance to stop by and see me. And thank you for listening, by the way." I gave Ariel a smile and thanks before I closed the door with a sigh. I didn't take two steps before I ran head-first into Killian.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to- Oh, Killian, you scared me." His eyes were furiously gray like a churning sea in the wake of a storm.

"Emma, I'm taking you home." He grabbed me by the arm roughly and half-dragged me from the hotel without another word.

"What, why? Is everything okay? Killian, you're scaring me. What is wrong with you?" As soon as we left the building, Killian whirled me around to face him.

"I don't have to explain myself to you. You're the one who'll have to do some explaining for herself, my dear. I know you were in there with her." I shot Killian a confused look.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Killian was dangerously close to my face at this point, but I didn't cower away from him like I normally would. "I know you talked to Ariel in there. I heard the whole thing."

"So, you were spying on me? First, I label you a sexual predator and now an unusually creepy eavesdropper next to the women's restroom. What's next, I don't know, a porn star?"

"You have no idea what I am capable of, Emma. Don't underestimate me. That sweet little girl told you about how I took her last ounce of innocence away from her. I know I'm not your first, but I can hurt you the way it did your first time. I imagine it wasn't too pleasurable, was it?" My gaze became menacing and I lowered my voice.

"Shut up. You don't know anything that I haven't told you, and I'm not too keen on telling you much else." I stormed away from Killian, knowing if I kept talking I would say things I could never take back. Killian pulled my hair and yanked me into his body, holding me there painfully.

"No, you don't get to walk away from me. You're getting out of line, Emma. I think I may have to put you in your place to show you that I'm the one with the power here. I won't be so sweet on you this next time, and I know only one of us will come out unharmed in the end of this. Let's go, pet."

He nearly dragged me to the car and tossed me haphazardly in the front seat and sped down the highway without a word, all the way back to the mansion where the only living souls besides the pair of us were our demons, each with a name and a face that wandered around the house and threatened to swallow us whole . . .

* * *

Holy shit! That was a super long update, but that's for the wait I've made you guys endure! Sorry about that. We all know how life gets in the way! Anyway, as you can tell, next chapter is pretty intense. I'll try to make it if people want to skip the darker chapters, I can. But let me know what you think about the darkness of this story! Reviews and publicity are always lovely! Love to all and Happy 4th of July!

- Ashley Marie -


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